AstraZeneca Pharma India in partnership with the Indian Cancer Society, announced the launch of a nationwide cancer awareness initiative – Cancer Screening for Women. Under this program, free, specialized cancer-screening will be conducted across the country for women from underprivileged families.
These screening camps will focus on prevalent cancers of the mouth, cervix, and breast, and will follow a rigorous process to link patients with health care facilities for further management. The program also aims to raise awareness about risk factors, symptoms, removing stigma, and promoting a healthy lifestyle for cancer prevention. The first screening camp to mark this launch was held on February 4, World Cancer Day, at the Indian Cancer Society, Mumbai, where over 100 women were screened.
As part of Phase 1 of this program, 4,000 women from the vulnerable sections of society will be screened across urban and rural areas in high priority regions of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka using mobile detection units. In Phase 2, the specialized screening camps will be expanded to states in North and North East India. The entire program will be conducted over the coming years.